Leg Press Machines

A leg press machine lets you load your quads, glutes and hamstrings heavily from a supported seat, with no bar across your back and no spotter standing behind you. You'll find plate-loaded and selectorized presses here from three brands (Muscle D Fitness, Body Solid and York Barbell), ranging from home gym attachments to models labeled commercial. Narrow the list by sled angle, carriage style and the floor space you can give it.

How to choose a leg press machine

Sled angle. The classic design here is the 45-degree sled. The Muscle D 45-Degree Compact Leg Press keeps that angle in an 85" x 65" frame and adds an extra-large diamond plate for varied foot positions. Want a shallower ride? The York STS 35-degree press is a linear bearing leg press with a 1,200-pound capacity, and the Body Solid GCLP100 Compact Leg Press sets its seat slide at a 30-degree incline with a 1,000 lb weight capacity.

Vertical or seated. On a vertical press you lie on your back and drive the carriage straight up, which saves floor length; the Body Solid GVLP vertical press assembles to 53" long. Seated pin-select presses swap plates for a stack: the Muscle D Vogue Leg Press runs a 240 lb steel weight stack with a magnetic selector pin.

Single-leg and combo frames. The Muscle D Pro Strength Dual Leg Press has two foot platforms that lock together with a pull pin for normal presses, or release for independent iso-lateral reps. If you also want hack squats, the Muscle D Excel linear hack and leg press combo switches between both movements on one frame.

Home gym add-ons. Own a Body Solid Powerline P1X or P2X? The Powerline PLPX Leg Press Attachment is built for those two gyms only and uses a 2:1 ratio. At the heavy end, Body Solid lists its Pro Clubline SGLP500 as a commercial leg press and Muscle D labels its Elite Plus press/calf raise commercial grade.

Trainer's take: setting up your press

Measure before you choose a model. A 45-degree sled needs room behind the seat for carriage travel and space at the sides for loading plates, so I tape the footprint on the floor first. Set the back pad so your hips stay planted at the bottom of every rep; if your tailbone starts to curl off the pad, raise the safety stops and shorten the range. Foot height changes the emphasis: higher on the platform brings in more glutes and hamstrings, lower leans on the quads. Add reps at a given load before adding plates. If several people in your home share one machine, a pin-select press makes load changes between sets quick.

Leg press machine FAQ

What is a leg press machine?

It is a seated or reclined strength station where you push a weighted carriage or foot plate away with your legs. Resistance comes from weight plates on the sled or from a pin-selected weight stack.

Which leg presses are compact but heavy-duty?

The Body Solid GCLP100 is commercial-rated with a 1,000 lb weight capacity, and the Muscle D 45-Degree Compact model uses heavy-duty steel in an 85" x 65" footprint.

Where can I get an adjustable-angle leg press?

The Muscle D 45 Degree Linear Leg Press has an adjustable back pad angle, and the Pro Strength Dual Leg Press offers three seat-back slots. Changing the angle shifts emphasis between quads and glutes.

Which models include weight plate storage?

The York STS 35-Degree has built-in weight storage, the Muscle D 45 Degree Linear model has plate storage horns on its frame, and the Body Solid LVLP, a leverage leg press, includes 10.75" plate holders.

Round out lower-body day with our squat machines, isolate quads and hamstrings with leg extension and curl machines, or browse all leg machines on one page. Weighing a press against a Smith machine or rack first? Our strength equipment buying guide compares them.